diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/PackageInstallerService.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/PackageInstallerService.java
index ca0a34eb67fb7..3d6fe77bb836a 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/PackageInstallerService.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/PackageInstallerService.java
@@ -347,7 +347,10 @@ public class PackageInstallerService extends IPackageInstaller.Stub implements
                     // Their staging dirs will be removed too
                     PackageInstallerSession root = !session.hasParentSessionId()
                             ? session : mSessions.get(session.getParentSessionId());
-                    if (!root.isDestroyed()) {
+                    if (root == null) {
+                        Slog.e(TAG, "freeStageDirs: found an orphaned session: "
+                                + session.sessionId + " parent=" + session.getParentSessionId());
+                    } else if (!root.isDestroyed()) {
                         root.abandon();
                     }
                 } else {